Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第14章

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few　slumped　shoulders；　as　the　sergeants　moved　out　to　spread　the　word　to　their　troopers。
Logically；　she　knew　she　had　no　reason　to　feel　guilty。　The　Validians　weren’t　really　sacrificing
themselves　for　her　sake；　nor　for　that　of　her　squad。　They　were　doing　it　for　Confessor　Wollkenden；　for
the　Ecclesiarchy；　for　the　Emperor。　Still；　she　couldn’t　help　but　ask　herself　why；　of　all　the　good
soldiers　here；　she　should　be　among　the　few；　the　very　few；　to　be　spared　—　why　this　was　starting　to
become　a　familiar　pattern　for　her。
If　the　Emperor　had　a　plan　for　her　—　and　it　seemed　that　He　must　—　if　He　was　keeping　her　alive
for　some　reason；　then　Anakora　just　wished　she　could　imagine　what　that　reason　might　be。
With　no　more　words　left　to　say；　the　regiments　went　their　separate　ways。
The　depleted　company　of　Validians　turned　back　the　way　they　had　come；　and　marched　to　meet
the　pursuers　from　whom　they　had　fought　so　hard　to　escape。　The　squad　of　Valhallans　headed　off　to
the　north…east；　planning　to　skirt　around　the　inevitable　battlefield　as　they　had　back　at　Alpha　Hive。　The
difference　was；　they　were　on　foot　this　time；　but　at　least　this　battlefield　would　be　smaller。
Steele　led　the　way。　He　had　an　unerring　sense　of　direction；　another　gift　of　his　augmetics；　but　still
he　paused　frequently　to　check　his　bearings　with　Palinev。　Gavotski　knew　that　the　colonel　would　be
watching　the　chrono；　calculating　the　cost　of　yet　another　diversion　from　their　planned　course。　Steele
had　been　tight…lipped　since　his　talk　with　the　captain　—　but　then；　this　was　hardly　unusual　for　him。
It　couldn’t　have　been　easy　for　him；　to　have　been　the　bearer　of　such　bad　news；　to　have　had　to　ask
a　fellow　commander　to　order　his　men　to　their　deaths。　It　had　still　been　just　a　few　days；　after　all；　since
the　same　had　been　asked　of　him。
Gavotski’s　thoughts　drifted　back　to　Alpha　Hive；　to　the　many　good　comrades　he　had　left　behind
there；　the　scores　of　men　alongside　whom　he　had　been　proud　to　fight　at　one　time　or　another。　He
wondered　how　many　of　them　were　still　fighting；　how　many　might　yet　make　it　onto　the　last　of　the
exodus　ships。　He　doubted　he　would　see　any　of　them　again。
Barreski；　at　least；　seemed　happy。　Somehow；　he　had　talked　one　of　the　Validians　into　giving　him
another　hand　flamer　—　and　with　Grayle’s　help；　he　was　stripping　it　down　on　the　move；　lovingly
cleaning　and　lubricating　its　components。
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Presently；　the　squad　bore　north　and　then　around　to　the　north…west　again；　until　they　had
completed　a　quarter…circle　and　were　on　a　path　parallel　to　the　one　they　had　been　on　before。　They　had
seen　and　heard　nothing　of　the　Validians　in　an　hour；　but　now　the　quiet　of　the　ice　forest　was
interrupted　by　a　series　of　distant　sounds：　the　usual　sounds；　the　ones　that　could　have　been　the
soundtrack　to　Gavotski’s　life；　to　all　of　their　lives。
Gunfire；　explosions；　screaming。　The　sounds　of　war。　The　sounds　of　four　hundred　good　men；
dying。
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CHAPTER　SEVEN
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　38。24。44
It　seemed　like　a　long　time　before　the　forest　fell　silent　again。
For　Steele；　of　course；　with　his　enhanced　hearing；　it　felt　like　even　longer。　This　was　a　good　thing；
he　told　himself。　It　meant　the　Validian　company　had　bought　him　more　time　than　he　could　have
expected　from　them。　It　meant　they　had　died　as　they　had　lived；　as　heroes；　and　no　Guardsman　could
want　any　more　from　his　life　than　that。
It　meant　that　he　had　done　the　right　thing　by　sacrificing　them。
Not　that　he　had　doubted　this；　not　any　longer。　Steele　had　reviewed　his　decision　six　times；　and　was
satisfied　that　he　had　overlooked　nothing。　Anyway；　he　had　Sergeant　Gavotski’s　support；　which　was
always　a　reliable　indicator。
The　Ice　Warriors　had　completed　their　half…circuit　of　the　battlefield。　They　were　behind　the　Chaos
forces；　whatever　remained　of　them；　back　on　course　for　the　confessor’s　crash　site。　Steele　just　prayed
that　their　enemies　would　take　some　time　to　lick　their　wounds；　before　turning　to　head　homeward。　Just
time　enough　for　his　squad　to　gain　a　safe　distance　from　them。
He　heard　the　approaching　mutants　a　full　six　seconds　before　he　saw　them。
They　were　making　no　attempt　to　be　quiet；　crashing　through　the　ice　forest　at　speed；　whimpering
and　howling。　They　must　have　fled　from　the　heat　of　the　battle；　thought　Steele。　They　couldn’t　have
known　that　the　Ice　Warriors　were　here　—　and　yet；　by　some　perverse　chance；　they　were　about　to　run
right　into　them。
He　hissed　a　warning　to　the　others；　telling　them　to　take　cover。　Although　they　couldn’t　have　seen
anything　themselves　yet；　they　didn’t　stop　to　ask　questions。　They　obeyed　their　colonel’s　order　with
varying　degrees　of　success。　Only　a　blind　man　could　have　failed　to　see　Borscz；　who　was　twice　as
broad　as　the　ice　tree　behind　which　he　attempted　to　hide。　Still；　thought　Steele；　if　the　mutants　were　in
the　throes　of　panic；　and　obviously　feeble…minded；　then　they　might　not　see　the　trap　before　it　was
sprung。
And　suddenly；　there　were　over　a　score　of　them；　appearing　in　the　gaps　between　the　trees；　their
manifest　and　varied　deformities　an　assault　to　Steele’s　eyes。　He　waited　until　they　got　closer；　even
closer…　and　then　one　of　the　mutants　came　scrambling　to　a　halt；　and　its　huge；　pink　eyes　widened；
staring　at　Borscz’s　protruding　stomach。　It　opened　its　mouth　to　squeal　a　warning…
…and　that　was　when　Steele　stepped　out　of　hiding　with　his　laspistol　levelled；　and　before　the
mutant　could　let　out　a　sound；　he　calmly　blew　a　hole　through　its　head。
The　rest　of　his　squad　were　quick　to　follow　his　lead。　Pozhar；　not　surprisingly；　was　the　first；　his
face　lit　up　by　a　broad　grin　as　he　pumped　las…beam　after　las…beam　into　his　confused　and　terrified
targets。　Barreski　took　his　time；　waiting　for　the　opportune　moment　to　wreak　maximum　damage　with
one　shot　from　his　new　flamer。　Three　mutants　were　engulfed　in　fire；　filling　the　air　with　the　stink　of
their　burning　flesh　and　the　sounds　of　their　screams。
“Don’t　let　any　of　them　get　away！”　Steele　yelled。
He　counted　four　mutants　on　the　periphery　of　the　group；　making　to　turn　back；　deciding　that　the
lesser　of　two　perils　was　the　one　that　lay　behind　them　after　all。　He　brought　down　a　hunchbacked；
tentacled　horror　with　a　shot　to　the　back。
The　other　three　mutants　fled；　and　were　out　of　sight　before　Steele　could　stop　them　—　but　an
instant　later　a　tremendous　bang　rent　the　air　and　a　cloud　of　shrapnel　billowed　out　from　the　trees
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where　they　had　vanished。　Barreski　had　tossed　a　frag　grenade　after　the　mutants　—　and；　although
Steele　winced　at　the　sound　that　had　almost　overloaded　the　acoustic　enhancers　in　his　right　ear；　he
couldn’t　deny　that　it　had　been　an　effective　tactic。
Was　there　any　hope；　he　wondered；　that　no　one　in　the　main　body　of　the　Chaos　force　had　heard　the
explosion；　that　the　ice　trees　might　have　deadened　its　sound　before　it　could　reach　them？　Perhaps；　at
least；　it　might　be　dismissed　as　the　work　of　a　lone　Validian　kamikaze；　or　even　a　dispute　between
undisciplined　mutant　stragglers。
So　long；　that　was；　as　none　of　the　mutants　lived　to　tell　a　different　tale。
In　focusing　on　the　would…be　deserters；　Steele　had　let　down　his　guard　against　the　more　immediate
threats　to　his　wellbeing。　He　heard　the　cocking　of　a　pistol；　and　turned　to　find　its　barrel　aimed　at　his
head　by　a　creature　that　looked　as　if　its　face　had　melted；　its　eyes　and　its　nose　running　towards　its
chin。
Before　the　mutant　could　fire；　Borscz　barrelled　into　its　side　and　threw　off　its　aim。　It　responded　by
swinging　its　gun　butt　at　the　burly　Ice　Warrior’s　jaw。　It　hit　with　a　resounding　crack；　but　Borscz　barely
seemed　to　feel　the　blow。　He　gripped　his　hapless　opponent　by　its　shoulders；　thrust　it　back　against　a
razor…edged　ice　tree。　The　mutant　screamed　and　thrashed　as　blood　gushed　out　of　its　back；　but　with　a
deep…throated　chuckle　and　a　flash　of　his　brilliant　white　teeth；　Borscz　pushed　its　chin　up　and　back
with　the　heel　of　his　hand。　The　tree　cut　through　the　mutant’s　misshapen　head；　bisecting　it　down　the
middle。
Three　more　of　its　kin　made　a　break　for　it；　but　two　ran　into　a　crossfire　of　las…beams　set　up　by
Gavotski　and　Anakora。　Palinev　went　racing　after　the　third；　with　his　knife　drawn。　Barreski　pressed
his　flamer　into　service　again；　and　Borscz；　who　had　been　about　to　pounce　on　another　mutant　when　it
combusted　in　his　face；　gave　a　yelp　of　protest　and　threw　his　hands　up　to　his　singed　beard。
Surprise　and　discipline　were　the　Ice　Warriors’　greatest　assets；　and　many　of　their　foes　were　cut
down　before　they　could　do　much　more　than　gibber。　Mikhaelev　in　particular　proved　to　be　an　expert
shot；　choosing　his　angles　well　so　that　a　single　one　of　his　las…beams　often　sliced　through　two　bodies。
The　closest　the　mutants　came　to　exhibiting　teamwork　was　when　four　of　them　tried　to　swarm
Blonsky。　Steele’s　pistol　finished　off　one　before　it　could　reach　its　target；　but　the　others　fell　upon　the
trooper。　Most　of　the　Ice　Warriors　held　their　fire　for　fear　of　hitting　a　comrade；　although　Steele　noted
that　Pozhar　was　the　exception。
He　drew　his　power　sword　and　activated　a　control　in　its　hilt；　causing　the　blade　to　flare　with　a
crackling　blue　energy。　He　stepped　up　behind　one　of　the　mutants　and　struck　with　all　the　strength　in
his　augmented　muscles；　severing　its　head　from　its　spinal　column。
Borscz　wrenched　a　third　mutant　from　its　victim；　while　Grayle　at